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Tuesday, June 17, 2014

Looking at The Edge of Tomorrow in writing terms

Last night, for my 24th anniversary (oops, dating myself there for sure), we went to see The Edge of Tomorrow because I wanted popcorn more than a fancy meal.

The blurb is Groundhog Day meets Starship Troopers, and boy does that fit perfectly. Add in watching Tom Cruise die over and over, works for me! And I did enjoy the movie, but the writer in me picked at it a bit.

I didn't like the opening. Basically a bunch of news stories trying to set the situation. But they were all backstory and telling. Very generic and fell flat. Plus, all I really wanted to know was why did they call the aliens Mimics. Never figured that out through the entire movie.

Next we meet Cruise's character. It's really impossible for Tom Cruise to play a wimpy, gutless non-wonder. No reason for his wimpiness. Yes, I know there are people in the military who got there in peace time and never expected to actually fight, I know a couple of them. But it just didn't fit. Maybe he had family he worried about leaving (not, of course there's a love interest coming!) Something. His behavior felt very manufactured to get him on the front lines as well as provide some level of a character arc. Beyond flat.

Then the story really started. Aside from the completely illogical reason for him repeating the day over and over, the meat of the movie was awesome. The aliens are intense, Cruise has to manipulate a day over and over to get to a point where he's got a chance at beating the aliens. Intense moments plus some really funny moments. Most of which involved watching Cruise buy it. Painfully.

The climax worked well, lots of tension, make-it-harder etc. I didn't like the setup for the last scene. I don't think there's any good logic for Cruise to have lived. The movie would still have been satisfying if he sacrificed himself and died. Maybe that's just me!

Have you seen this movie? What did you think? Is watching movies more or less fun as an analytical writer?

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About Me

I live in Oregon with my husband, cat, dog and four horses .
I train and compete endurance horses, but I have awakened a long dormant desire to put the stories in my head onto paper (or appropriately arranged electrons).